I love knowing what peoples name means. I did a revisit to the past from when I last researched my name and thought I'd show you all and tell you what it means. I researched it one day (in those days I had spare time) and it has stuck with me so long that it has become the perfect definition of my name. Here it is:
I have recently done some research on what the name Heather means. The nicest meaning was “an evergreen shrub” but I decided that I must be useful for something! I invite you to share my wealth of knowledge about myself so that you can know what to expect of me!
Who am I?
Name: Heather
Gaelic Name: Fraoch
Latin Name: Calluna vulgaris
Where do I live?
Ireland, Britain, and Europe! (I must move a lot)
What do I look like?
Heather is an evergreen shrub. The prostrate, greyish, hairy stem grows up to 3 feet long and sends up branches 1 to 1.5 feet high. (I’m short and not all that nice to look at…. This isn’t very new :P)
Now here is my history, it’s a little brief because I’m only sixteen, but we’ll work with it.
When God first made the world, He looked at the bare and barren hillsides and thought how nice it would be to cover them with some kind of beautiful tree or flower. So he turned to Giant Oak, the biggest and strongest of all of the trees he had made, and asked him if he would be willing to go up to the bare hills to help make them look more attractive. But Oak explained that he needed a good depth of soil in order to grow and that the hillsides would be far too rocky for him to take root.
So God left Oak Tree and turned to Honeysuckle with its lovely yellow flower and beautiful sweet fragrance. He asked Honeysuckle if she would care to grow on the hillsides and spread her beauty and fragrance amongst the barren slopes. But Honeysuckle explained that she needed a wall or a fence or even another plant to grow against, and for that reason, it would be quite impossible for her to grow in the hills.
So God then turned to one of the sweetest and most beautiful of all the flowers - the rose. God asked the rose if she would care to grace the rugged highlands with her splendor. But the rose explained that the wind and the rain and the cold on the hills would destroy her, and so she would not be able to grow on the hills.
Disappointed with Oak, Honeysuckle and Rose, God turned away. At length, he came across a small, low lying, green shrub with a flower of tiny petals -some purple and some white. It was Heather. (That would be me!!!)
God asked Heather the same question that he’d asked the others. "Will you go and grow upon the hillsides to make them more beautiful?" Heather thought about the poor soil, the wind and the rain - and wasn’t very sure that she could do a good job. But turning to God she replied that if he wanted her to do it, she would certainly give it a try. (Aren’t I wonderful) God was very pleased.
He was so pleased in fact that he decided to give Heather some gifts as a reward for her willingness to do as he had asked. Firstly he gave her the strength of Oak - the bark of Heather is the strongest of any tree or shrub in the whole world. Next he gave her the fragrance of Honeysuckle - a fragrance that is frequently used to gently perfume soaps and pot-pouris. Finally he gave her the sweetness of Rose - so much so that Heather is one of the bee’s favorite flowers. And to this day,Hheather is renowned especially for these three God given gifts.
Well there is my wonderful story. I thought it was so great that I just had to keep reading about myself. There is where I got to eat some humble pie! I may have had a great history, but my future needs a lot of work!
So forget about the past! What am I good for no a days?
1) Heather can be used for many medical purposes. (sounds good)
2) Heather when burned outside (with fern if your desperate) attracts rain. (This is where it get’s scary!)
3) One of the most common and effective ways of managing Heather is the age-old method of burning. (Go ahead and die laughing you know you want to!) Heather burning is necessary for a variety of different reasons. Traditionally however most burning is carried out in Spring, although some estates maintain that it is better to burn in the autumn. (I know I’m stubborn but I’ll change!! I promise!!!!)
4) Even to the present day, crofters and farmers rely upon heather as an abundant and efficient fuel for their fires. (great…)
5) The Skara Brae excavation in Orkney revealed evidence of beds in the form of stone boxes, lined with heather and dating as far back as 2000 BC. The original heather beds! (I’ve been told I’m a little bony but hey….)
6) Heather has many practical uses - from baskets and brushes to pot scrubbers and doormast. (So that’s why I always wash the dishes!!!)
7) (Best of all) Find Heather- great deals and low prices!! (I thought slavery was illegal!)
Needless to say, after awhile look up my name got old and really scary. I think its time for Heather’s to start paving their own future without the scary matches! Maybe that’s why it rains so much in Ireland. Hope you enjoyed this little look at myself. May your paths be strait and matches stay far away from your pockets!
Hehe... Hope you're name means something great too.
<3 Heather
Heather